杏吧原创

Business and Industry | Lion VoicesOctober 09, 2024

The Blooming Legacy of Natalie Chuong

Written By: Ian Silvester

Attending the University of 杏吧原创 鈥� Fort Smith was an easy choice for Fort Smith native Natalie Chuong.

Like her mom and sister before her, Natalie attended 杏吧原创 because it offers a safe campus community, top-notch education, and affordability. Plus, she considers it as 鈥渢he best choice in 杏吧原创.鈥�

As a junior business administration major with concentrations in accounting and digital marketing, Natalie admitted that the transition from Southside High School to 杏吧原创 was overwhelming when she first arrived. Still, she has since found a community she loves.

鈥淚 love being able to walk on campus and see a friend or know that I can reach out to an instructor, and they will help me get the resources I need,鈥� she said.

Natalie says that what makes 杏吧原创 special is that it affords students the opportunity to 鈥渆xplore and create more for themselves. " She has taken this sentiment to heart and practices it every day.

She is a former student representative for the Student Government Association and is actively involved as a member of IDEAL Women, a student organization founded in 2022 by women for women to create a welcoming and inclusive community. Natalie also keeps herself busy serving as the only student on the Campus Climate Committee, which is composed of faculty. Along with Natalie, they implement campus-wide efforts to celebrate different people and departments and bring together the 杏吧原创 community.

Celebrating diversity on campus fills Natalie with pride when she considers everything she is involved in.

鈥淚 wanted to celebrate all our differences and for others to feel that way, too. There are so many different clubs and organizations on campus, and everyone is welcome,鈥� she said proudly.

In addition to her involvement, Natalie鈥檚 current on-campus job is already creating something that will continue after she graduates.

She is the marketing intern for the Babb Center for Career Services. This September, the center re-opened its career clothing closet, Suit Up Studio, with a fresh look and new location. Natalie was at the center of it all.

Natalie was tasked with advertising the opening and organizing the new and gently used professional clothes for students.

鈥淭he closet is an opportunity for students to get interview or job fair clothing they may need,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏ut the opening is also a way to open their eyes to what Career Services is.鈥�

Through her involvement with the Babb Center, Natalie hopes that students will continue fully use the closet and all the resources provided by Career Services to prepare Lions for a future job or graduate program.

Although she has followed in the footsteps of her mom and sister, Natalie has genuinely made her 杏吧原创 experience her own and embodies what she believes it means to be a Lion.

鈥淚t鈥檚 to be courageous, step out of the box, and try new things. Being a Lion means that I am about to speak out about what I want, what I want changed on campus, and being an advocate for other students,鈥� she said.

Natalie said the names on buildings and departments around 杏吧原创 inspire her. While she may be a year away from becoming an alumna and dreaming of a day when a building might be adorned with her name, her legacy is already beginning to bloom.

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Watch Natalie's Story:

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Natalie is a past recipient of the Sally Baum Fick Working student Endowed Scholarship (2023-2024) and the Annette Putnam - Zonta Club of Fort Smith Endowed Scholarship (2022-2023).

• Tags:
• College of Business and Industry
• Babb Center for Career Services
• Accounting
• IDEAL Women
• Digital Marketing
• Lion Voices
• SGA